1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for performing facsimile communication using such an IP network as the Internet.
2. Description of Related Art
As facsimile communication technology, technology using a telephone network based on circuit switching method and technology using an IP network are known.
A telephone network is a network for performing voice communication. So the data of facsimile communication is also handled so as to conform to the protocol for voice communication. Standards for performing facsimile communication on a telephone network are, for example, ITU-T recommendation V.17 and ITU-T recommendation V.34. ITU-T recommendation V.17 supports communication speeds of 14.4 kbps or less. Whereas the ITU-T recommendation V.34 is a new communication standard, and supports communication speeds of 33.6 kbps or less.
An IP network, on the other hand, is a network using Internet protocol. An IP network can perform both voice communication and data communication. In Internet protocol, facsimile communication is handled as data communication, not voice communication. A known Internet protocol standard is, for example, ITU-T recommendation T.38.
ITU-T recommendation T.38 specifies that facsimile communication conforming to ITU-T recommendation V.17 can be performed, but facsimile communication conforming to ITU-T recommendation V.34 is not considered. In other words, a facsimile device conforming to ITU-T recommendation V.34 cannot perform communication via an IP network. Therefore an IP network can perform only facsimile communication of 14.4 kbps or less, and cannot perform 28 kbps or 32 kbps high-speed facsimile communication. Also in order to connect a facsimile device which supports ITU-T recommendation V.34 to an IP network, the communication board must be exchanged with an ITU-T recommendation V.17 supported communication board.